


Flattered By Your Chivalry

by Maggie1967



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-01
Updated: 2014-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-10 19:36:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1163649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maggie1967/pseuds/Maggie1967
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mary and Tom are raising their children and running the estate together.At night they are baring their souls secretly to one another.</p><p>Love grows in all the wrong places.....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flattered By Your Chivalry

Lady Mary and Tom sat quietly whispering to one another in the rocking chairs of the nursery late one night.This was an area that had slowly become their own small corner of tranquility in the bustle of the great house,a house which held so much responsibility and burden for them now.They ran the estate together, they raised children together every day but even with all this, they were still young themselves and still trying to find their way in a world which often confused and challenged them in more ways than one.The time they had in the nursery at night provided them both with a supportive and non judgmental forum in which they could confidently discuss the mistakes of their week,their disappointments,triumphs, passions and their heartaches,all without fear of recrimination from the person listening at the other side.It was Mary's turn to go first on this particular night.

"Well we are a pair aren't we Tom?It's not enough that you have to cause scandal by getting yourself involved with a socialist villager who is known to hate all of us,but then I go and add to it by nearly allowing a gold digging,gambling addict cad into the family.Another triumph for the Crawleys."

"For the record i would just like to state that i'm a Branson not a Crawley.It'll also help my case in ridding me of my part in this scandal,when you know that I am not involved with the teacher from the village, contrary to what is being said around this household thanks to Thomas and Rose"

Mary looked a Tom apologetically at first but brushed it off the minute she remembered this was an apology free zone they had created for themselves.

"I was sure you were sweet on the school teacher Tom but then again I was also sure that Lord Gillingham was of good character.Further proof that I give the appearance of knowing more than I actually do".

"Don't be so down on yourself.Plenty of people have been taken in by 'Lord' Gillingham it would seem.The whole house included.

"Why doesn't that make me feel any better?"

"Lord Gillingham better not cross my path or he'll get a broken jaw for his trouble,lowlife scoundrel that he is."

" While I am flattered by your chivalry,I would rather you didn't get yourself jailed on my behalf.I would miss our chats together you see.More than I will miss Lord Gillingham and his cunning attempts to appear civilised as he tried to acquire my sons inheritance.So if it's all the same, if you do happen to cross paths with him in the future, can you behave like the gentleman you are and he isn't and leave his jaw unbroken.I would be much more grateful to you for that believe me."

"I wont promise anything when it comes to him.The stubborn Irish rebel blood in me won't allow for it I'm afraid"

"You must try to appeal to your civilised side Tom.Fate has a funny way of getting itself involved negatively in my life.If you don't promise then I am sure you will meet him one day.

"Then I definitely won't promise."

"Tom!"

"You're just worried I involve the Crawleys in another scandal."

"Whereas I won't deny that, I am far more worried about you getting hurt than anything else."

"That's strange,that's my reasoning here to."

"We definitely are a pair Mr Branson."

"We have been for quite some time M'lady, are you telling me you're only just noticing?"

They stared at one another for longer than was appropriate or necessary but neither cared.Mary cleared her throat in as ladylike a manner as she could and continued their discussion.

"I often wonder If Granny and the others knew that we talked regularly like this,what they would think it all meant".

Tom grinned,indicating to Mary that his next words would almost certainly be playful in nature.

Probably that we were all about to be embroiled in another scandal .'Brother and Sister in Law have illicit affair...legal but tasteless in good society'..... "

Mary couldn't help but laugh out loud before quietly checking herself for the noisy outburst so near to their peacefully sleeping children.Her next words were whispered.

Still less embarrassing than marrying Lord Gillingham

"Only slightly less embarrassing.Thanks very much."

Again their eyes locked and again the meaning of it was forcefully pushed to the side.

"So anyway enough nonsense.what exactly happened with the school teacher?"

"She just isn't the one."

'And how did you come to find that out?'

'There is no real reason for not wanting her other than...well...

'What?'

'Nothing'

'No,I demand to know.'

'She just doesn't ....she doesn't shake me you know..."

"No I do not."

"Don't get all coy and bashful on me Mrs Crawley,I've known you too long and know too many things about you now thanks to our little group therapy sessions here in the nursery."

"Yes I suppose you do"

"So.I Know you understand me.If I'm ever going to have something after Sybil it NEEDS to be something powerful.It needs to be something worth...worth..."

"Betraying her memory for?"

"God when you put it like that...it sounds awful.."

"Dont mistake me.I understand perfectly what you mean.I think it often when I think of Matthew.Even slightly less than something that can.How did you put it?"

"Shake us"

"It won't be worth doing it for."

Mary stood up in order to consciously break the prolonged eye contact between her and her sisters widower.She faced her child's cot and shrugged off the obvious awkwardness around them to carry on with the discussion that was not the one they really should have had by now.Her thoughts were broken when a voice clawed at the skin of her neck.Alarmingly for her, Tom was directly behind her now, peering over her shoulder to look at the child who was lightly gurgling in his sleep. 

"Are you very upset about Lord Gillingham Mary"

"Not in the slightest'

"We'll that's something I suppose but I could still gladly kill him for giving the appearance of hurting you.' 

Mary turned directly round to face her brother in law and the movement startled both of them into silence.She almost pleaded as she asked her next question of the man standing motionless in front of her.

"Why does it bother you so much Tom."

"You know why."

They intensely locked eyes once more for a few moments until a noise outside alerted them to the fact that the servants were rising to begin their days work.They had talked into the early hours of the morning once again.Smiling, Tom gently placed his hand on her side and moved towards her cautiously. Mary thought for a moment that he was going to kiss her.Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes became like a startled rabbit as he guided his lips towards her.Just when she thought it was certain that his lips would meet hers,she lightly ran her tongue along their outward surface to moisten them upon impact.His eyes flickered unconsciously to her tongues movements and his breath increased.At the exact moment she had finally surrendered herself to her feelings, a creak outside the door seemed powerful enough to change the trajectory of Tom's movements.His lips now hovered at the side of her cheek and he breathlessly spoke into her tingling ear,

"Goodnight Mary,I'll leave first check the coast it clear and you follow on later"

To them both,all this had become perfectly normal but even they weren't as naive to assume that being found together in any room at that time of night would not go without comment in a house such as there's.

As Tom looked back at her cheekily grinning once more before he closed the door of the nursery,Mary suddenly got butterfly's at the thought of them being intimately found together.It was not an unpleasant feeling to think of people thinking they were together.She also hadn't been oblivious to the fact that recently Tom was becoming more bold in their conversations,to the point she often felt a distinct blush creeping up her cheeks when he looked at her a certain way,touched her arm a particular way,leaned in close and said such risky things so confidently and matter of factly to her.Not even her an Matthew had been so open in the beginning with one another.

She remembered the night she told Tom about the Turkish diplomat.It had started in jest with him teasing her that he was more worldly than her.She had said she doubted it.He had said prove it and she did.He had only ever been with Sybil and one other woman after her which was a shock to Mary.She on the other hand had several experiences before Matthew,the most notable ,the diplomat.As she went through the story,she was terrified that she would look at him and see disgust.She was not prepared for what she actually saw.Lust.He had fire in his eyes.He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and she knew the reason why but still she kept on going leaving no detail of that night to the imagination.When she was finished his face was flushed and his voice was weak and broken when he simply declared:

"Alright Mary....you win....this time."

Then that brilliant smile graced his lips and he carried on talking about the chidren like nothing but the weather had been discussed that night.It was a great relief to Mary.At that point she knew Tom was definitely worth having as a confidante in her life.Tonight,she knew for definite how much that should extend to.

Their situation was dangerous and had the potential to split up a family if it went wrong.It wasnt a situation for the faint hearted. She confessed to herself long ago that she liked it that way.So tonight for the first time, she let herself think of Tom in a romantic way.She wanted Tom.It terrified the life from her and breathed it back into her all at the same time because after tonight ,she knew without doubt that Tom wanted her to.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Dining Room Dalliances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter
> 
> Mary and Tom have some fun at each others expense.  
> Lord Grantham is oblivious to the goings on as usual.

As they all sat down to breakfast the following morning, Robert couldn't help but notice how tired Tom looked as he yawned over the morning paper.

"Tom you look positively exhausted today,I do hope Mary hasn't been working you hard in my absence'

Tom glanced up at a smiling Mary and as he brought his tea cup towards his mouth, he quickly replied to his father in law.

"Trust me Lord Grantham,Mary hasn't been working me anywhere near as hard as i would like."

He began to sip his tea and Mary noticed the curve of his lip on the cup.Was he actually choosing to make veiled and somewhat lewd comments in front of everyone at the breakfast table?The lady in her should have been disgusted at that but the competitor in her could do nothing but rise to his obscene challenge.

"Tom i think you should come with me today,to the stables.I would very much like to be taken there by you after breakfast.If you think you are...up to it......"

The coughing and spluttering noise he made over his tea as Carson fussed over him was enough to signal her triumph in this boys boarding school game he had devised.Thankfully the only two players aware of the rules were themselves.Thankfully she had also read some risqué novels recently.It definitely helped somewhat in devising her response to her smug brother in law,otherwise she wouldn't have been quite as well prepared.

"Tom are you quite all right! Carson be so kind as to get Tom a glass of water will you."

As he looked up at her and she looked at him they could do nothing but burst out laughing.They really did appear absurd sometimes and Lord Grantham took every opportunity to remind them of the fact.

You two had best get to those stables .I think you have both gone soft in the head in my absence....

The two of them increased their laughter,causing him to sigh and block out the view of them with his newspaper.


End file.
